Search form

Search form

Fashion designer Amanda Pearl gets 20% of her website traffic from social referrals thanks to a five-point social media strategy, writes Christine Saunders of Venpop, which manages Pearl's social media presence. Pearl's plan includes a custom landing page for first-time visitors to her Facebook page, regular thank-you discounts and rewards for fans, and an actively managed and updated Twitter profile. "You can't wait for people to find you -- actively look for people to talk to," Saunders writes.

Related Summaries

Small-business expert Megan Totka shares five ways to let customers know you appreciate their business, including thank-you e-mails to celebrate milestones or holidays. Totka also suggests reaching out to meet anticipated needs, using social media to stay in touch and highlight customers' successes, and dealing with complaints by phone.

Expedia-owned Egencia decided to thank its business customers for using its corporate travel service by sending out digital gifts and physical thank-you notes for Valentine's Day. The campaign generated the company's highest-ever organic click-thru rates on its social media accounts.

Investing time in showing gratitude to social media followers, beyond an automated response, leads to a more engaged fan base, writes Lisa Wiese. On Twitter, the list tool can help users note which followers most frequently pass along content, enabling personal thanks later. Other ways to show gratitude include adding LinkedIn endorsements to profiles of engaged customers who are personal connections and creating personalized thank-you videos to post to social media.

The best way to make your fans feel special is to dole out regular rewards and perks, Peter Nevis writes. Special offers and discounts are perennial favorites, but a simple, personalized thank-you note can also go a long way. "Nobody likes to feel that they're just a number," Nevis writes.

Your social strategy shouldn't stop when you make a sale, writes Liana Evans -- saying "thank you" can be a powerful way to maintain a connection and foster good will. Whether you send gifts or merely a thank-you note, Evans writes, it is always worth reminding your customer that you value their business. "A company can say thank you many ways," Evans writes. "Saying thank you to your customers or the people you're engaging with can become a conversation all on its own."